We cannot speak of the African diaspora and fail to acknowledge the ocean. Earlier this year, when we cast Ifa for the SF Bay Area, Olokun featured prominently. In one verse, Ifa reminded us of the time when Olokun's fortune was waning. In desperation, Olokun went to consult Ifa. The first awo said the situation was hopeless. Olokun went for a second opinion. The prognosis was just as dismal. Olokun sought a third opinion! This time, the awo recommended sacrifice for growth and to avoid naysayers. Olokun complied. As a result, all rivers flowed to the ocean to offer support. And, as you are well aware, it has been that way ever since.
Not only is the ocean expansive, it is mysterious. Cuban awos are fond of saying nobody knows the bottom of the sea. One of the most profound mysteries of the ocean is tied to trans Atlantic slavery. It is a watery mausoleum that houses countless souls. At the same time, the ocean carried millions of Africans to the shores of America. It is no wonder that we gather at the beaches of Brazil, Haiti, Galveston, New York, San Francisco and others to venerate deities like Agoue, Yemoja and Olokun. Intuitively, we know that the answers we seek can only be answered by Olokun, whose mysteries are beyond comprehension. Here, Ifa says: Okanrantutu, cool Okanran The fire shows its braveness But cannot reach the bottom of the ocean The power of the sun cannot touch the bottom of a lagoon Cast divination for Serubawon, scare them The child of Olokun jemiade Who was told to offer everything in 200s Serubawon was told no one would ever see his end, ever - Holy Odu OkanranOturupon May the sun never set on the Yoruba cultural empire! As the ocean expands over the earth and defies human comprehension, may Orisa Lifestyle continue to spread and sustain the mystery of African identity. Aboru aboye abosise. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com Orisa is synonymous with productivity. Above and beyond their colors, prayers, songs, sacrifices and dances, the deities govern all the disciplines needed to sustain a community. Stated differently, Orisa Lifestyle is characterized by collective work and responsibility. Worship is community building through work and service. Here, let us consider what Ifa says: Idisaawo baa je - Holy Odu IdiSa While all the orisa are associated with vocations, Orunmila is most closely associated with care giving and support. He is the deity who even used care to become crowned the king of the orisa. This is essential to Orisa Lifestyle because it requires you to give serious thought to who you serve. When you are certain about your natural gifts and talents, in conjunction with who you serve, you are poised to live the medicine that will heal your life and heal the lives of those you are destined to serve. Aboru aboye abosise. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com My enemy chased me
They could not meet me so they returned As they retreated they threw a rock backwards but it missed me They shot an arrow They shot a gun but could not hit me Top, top, I was The hand of their dagger could not touch me Cast divination for Olowo Who will eat monkey's meat When the whole town excluded him and he decided to travel abroad Olowo offered 32,000 cowries If you do not go and check on our king The pregnant will not give birth The sick will not find healing Go and help me check on Olowo so he may become king So the town may become peaceful Give the crown of Olowo to Olowo So that Olowo may step peacefully into our town So that we may all have peace of mind - Holy Odu OturaIwori Leadership without opposition is rare, if not unheard of. People covet the spotlight. We think we know better than the experienced experts. We contest and contradict, sometimes just to be contradictory. If the deities would defy Olodumare, it is logical to expect defiance from our fellow man. So, why consult Ifa? Why make ebo? Why practice ose? Why observe taboos? If opposition is inevitable why bother to avoid it? In the verse above, Ifa details various phases of a relentless attack. From chasing to rock throwing to shooting arrows to gun fire to dagger swinging, we see that the assault can persist and escalate. But at the same time, Ifa demonstrates how the assailants failed in one attempt after another. You can imagine the enemies' rising frustration at not being able to achieve their nefarious aims. So, while their aggression is predictable, with Ifa's guidance, their failure is also guaranteed. Olowo means respectable. Historically, the Olowo is known to be a descendant of Orunmila himself. He was the eighth son, who was born when Orunmila had finally achieved a respectable stage of life. Hence, the title Olowo harkens back to the mythic era when Orunmila's journey was punctuated by him transforming himself into Ope, the sacred palm. And so, the fact that the Olowo is the rightful ruler of Owo kingdom is beyond dispute. In spite of what anyone else might think, feel, say or do, nothing will ever alter the historical truth, which is grounded in the sacred text of Ifa. What matters mist here is the fact that, in the exact same way that Ifa details the Olowo's natural place as the lord of Owo kingdom, Ifa also details your natural authority. Through learning to live according to the laws of Ifa, you too can ascend the throne of your own destiny. Thus, when the inevitable opposition arises, you will be assured effortless victory again and again and again. Live the medicine! Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com He who wets the ground only to later march on muddy ground Cast Ifa for Ina, the fire When he was going to receive the title of Malete, the vantage position He was advised to offer sacrifice He heard the advice with his right ear And threw the advice with his left ear Travelers to Ipo and Ofa Just imagine the consequence of the advice Ina, who was given the title Malete, the vantage position Those who installed you Were the same people who blew you out of existence - Holy Odu Okanran Meji Ina - fire - is the son of Ogun. Once, the gentle breeze, the air, the storm, the whirlwind and tornado all approached Ina, telling him that the elders of the whole world had convened and decided to install Ina as the Malete of the world. This would mean he would enjoy the most advantaged position on earth. His wife advised him to consult Ifa. He complied, but had already made up his minds to take the position. Ifa advised Ina to reject the position on account of the fact that those who were proposing to install him were also planning to destroy him once he had satisfied their needs. Ina was advised to offer a red cap, which he found particularly offensive and unacceptable. He warned the awo that he refused to make the sacrifice and that if anybody ever tried to stop him from becoming the Malete, he would destroy them all. On the chosen day, Ina was indeed installed as the Malete. Since then, he has constant work. Day and night, Ina is working all over the world. Yet and still, he has nothing to show for it, accept that he can be recognized by his bright red cap. But once they had used Ina to accomplish their needs, the gentle breeze, the air, the storm, the whirlwind and tornado teamed up with the rainfall to produce a strong wind to remove Ina's red cap and pour water on his head. That was how Ina died in the hands of those who installed him as the Malete of the world. Ifa says that we must not allow flatterers to seduce us into things that contradict the ultimate reality of our destinies.* Popoola, Solagbade. Ifa Dida v I. Apetebii is a stabilizing force in the house of Ifa. The deities, the children and the clients all converge upon the babalawo's shrine regularly. Because they are all exceedingly sensitive, when they converge upon the babalawo, his environment must be neat, peaceful and grounded. Apetebii is the main architect for said environment. Here, the teachings of Ifa are illustrative: Irete ohun tutu mole Ifa said: good things have arrived Calmness is mine Osun water does not grow hot Icy cold, icy cold Fire does not burn into water Icy cold, icy cold Who is bringing the goodness of money to me? Calmness, calmness is mine Who is bringing the goodness of wives to me? Calmness, calmness is mine Unless we make a path for a river it cannot flow Who is bringing the goodness of children to me? Calmness, calmness is mine We do not make a path for a river without it flowing Who is bringing the goodness of wealth to me? Calmness, calmness is mine Brass is what Osun uses to rock her children - Holy Odu IreteOturupon Calmness is what distinguishes the home of Orunmila. Let us all enjoy a day a serenity, in the name of Ore Yeye Osun, the paragon of apetebii genious. Ase! Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com Most people have a very generalized understanding of the ancestors. If you're like most people, you just consider an ancestor to be anyone who has died. That is, unless you have had a direct and personal relationship with a deceased family member, you probably find it difficult to understand who your ancestors are and the importance of their influence. The ancestors have one purpose; to guide and protect your family lineage. Unlike the orisa, who are universal principles that are accessible to all people, the ancestors are dedicated to your lineage and your lineage alone. More importantly, perhaps, whereas your devotion to orisa will likely be forgotten by the larger community, what you contribute to your family will be remembered, repeated and celebrated by your descendants. Stated differently, what you do for orisa is absorbed into the cosmos. But what you do for the ancestors in concentrated and stored in your family inheritance. But how, exactly do you tap into the ancestors? How do you call upon them and deepen your relationship to them? The first step is to discover your lineage's Ancestral Promise, which is traced through what is called your IDILE. While it is true that idile is correctly understood as your family's ancestral home, in the context of spiritual development, idile defines the agreement your family's founding ancestor made with Olodumare before establishing the lineage here on earth. It is that agreement that informs your family's Ancestral Promise. Do of the following: Set up an ancestral altar. This is a place where you will go to call upon your ancestors. The purpose is more for your internal development and awareness than anything else. The role of the objects on ancestral altars is to construct memory and affirm social identity. Materials:
Usage (At least once a week)
For more activities like this, please join the Orisa Lifestyle Academy MEMBER SITE. ‘Òwe l’esin òrò, bí òrò bá sonù, òwe ni a fi ñwa a’, (‘A proverb is the horse of conversation; if the conversation goes astray, the proverb is used to bring it back’). Proverbs represent a coded logic that defines social order and articulates cultural laws. They contain thoughts that the community recognizes at once as something familiar to the individual and the collective members alike. When they are shared in the right way, proverbs bring groups of people into a shared vision, which supports collective action. So, we see that proverbial wisdom can be instrumental in building community. Ogundijo Oluyemi Michael tells us that, traditionally, Yorùbá proverbs have evolved with the growth and development of each community. Consequently, the variety of proverbs that have been recited over the decades reflects diverse aspects of a Yorùbá culture, beliefs, institutions, ethics, commerce, health, and so on. In this way, proverbs encapsulate the worldview of Yorùbá people, and serve as means of arousing, defining, manifesting and establishing the expectations, aspirations and consciousness of the community. It is safe to say that proverbs serve as linguistic confirmation of Yorùbá worldviewin its totality. Ogundijo identifies at least five categories of proverbs to consider:
The proverbs that fall into these categories reveal the core values that are cherished by Yorùbá people around the world. As Orisa Lifestyle continues to expand and grow, it is increasingly important - an inevitable - for us to discover the experiences and values that unify us as practitioners. These experiences and values will become the building blocks of communities. This is why the elders will say, ‘A rí se l’a rí kà, a rí kà baba ìrègún’ (our deeds are what we can mention; what we can mention are the major credits we can gloat about). In other words, community is built upon collective action, not ideas. In order for Orisa Lifestyle to continue to grow without compromising the principles that have made it effective for countless generations, it is necessary for us to strategically organize our deeds and share them in our circles of influence. Proverbial wisdom is instrumental to our ability to express our values succinctly, but deeply. According to the AGBOLE approach to community building, proverbs serve as charters of social and ethical norms in human interactions, extol what the society considers to be virtues, and condemn anti-social patterns of behavior:
In the simplest language, the AGBOLE is the extended family dwelling, where the young and old work and play together. Here, family songs and vocational traditions are passed from generation to generation. AGBOLE is also where the seeds of Orisa Lifestyle are sown. That is, the child who has learned to make an ancestral mask, or pounded yam has gained self-discipline and practical skills. The AGBOLE aspires to help practitioners of Orisa Lifestyle to cultivate the radical will necessary to change our world. Our approach represents the appropriate balance between "what" to practice and "how" to practice it. Balanced methodology is particularly important in the earliest stages of devotion, when the foundation for all further intellectual and social development is laid. Let us consider the proverb that says, ‘A kì í mò í wè kì a káyé já’ (No matter one’s expertise in swimming, no one can swim through the universe). Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.OrisaLifestyle.com Ogundijo Oluyemi Michael. PROVERB AS AN INGREDIENT OF YORUBA CONSCIOUSNESS. Koko igi (a knotty protuberance on a tree) Does not inconvenience the tree The handle of the bell does not bother the bell The segments of the worm do not irritate the worm Cast divination for Orunmila, the three rocks that support the garden He was asked to offer 1400 cowries Orunmila heard about the offering and performed it He obtained victory over them all He started singing: Who is planning against me: 200 dogs do not plan against a leopard---leopard is the father of all animals Who is planning against me: 200 flies do not plan against a broom---broom is the father of flies - Holy Odu OyekuOfun Authority must be affirmed and reaffirmed from time to time. I mean, more than an occassionally showing the world that "You haven't lost your touch," there are also those times when you have to demonstrate the true difference between being a novice and a pro. Key word: DEMONSTRATE. It means show and prove. You see, not everybody has actually seen you in action and even fewer have had to get into the proverbial ring with you. So, it is impossible for some people to fully appreciate the reality of what you actually do. Experience, as they say, is the best teacher. When you demonstrate your abilities, it leaves no doubt in the minds of those who either dream of taking your place or merely seeing you fall. They will gather, like a pack of hungry dogs, and convince themselves that you have seen your best days. Eventually, they will believe their own hype and launch a full scale attack. It is then that 200 dogs learn that the leopard is always prepared to show the skills that have made him father of all animals. Live the medicine. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com The ocean is pure white - Holy Odu OdiOgunda Only sickness revealed can be cured. Sometimes, people come to consult with me but practice a "Don't ask, won't tell" policy. That is, if I don't ask what is wrong, they won't tell. Of course, there are lots of reasons why a person might be reluctant to disclose their condition. It is not always as simple as it would seem. But I feel compelled to emphazise how important healing is. I would go so far as to say that physical, financial, emotional, cultural and spiritual healing is the top priority of Orisa Lifestyle. All of the deities and their respective cloisters are dedicated to healing. So, when you come to see the priest or go before any shrine, I believe you should be intent upon one of two things: #1 Giving thanks and #2 Seeking healing. In my relatively short career, I have been blessed to help people restore balance and vitality to their lives. I can compare it to witnessing a flower blossom before your very eyes. Healing is, many times, a kind of simple miracle, through which a person starts the journey feeling isolated and stagnant, but manages to reposition herself so that she is reconnected and flowing in harmony with favorable energy, which we call blessings. Most importantly, above and beyond what is revealed through divination, I am referring to the direct experience. If you have ever been in the doldrums, disconnected or in pain, you remember the freedom that comes with relief. The sudden surge of life inspires a sense of hope that is more valuable than gold. The first step is to seek support and share your condition. Live the medicine. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com Diversity is a blessing and a burden at the same time. As Orisa Lifestyle goes careening into the future and the world stage, becoming more and more diverse every day, the blessings and the burdens abound with equal intensity. In these times of increasing uncertainty, devotees around the world seek Ifá's guidance, truth and wisdom. It is in these very crucial times that the babalawo is being challenged to demonstrate, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the value of Ifá as a system that enables harmonious and prosperous development. Here, the teachings of Ifá offer the following reassurances:
Sudden-as-the-snapping-of-leather-string; Leather-string-snaps, The Ifá priest for them in the city of Ìtóri; Crossbow-loses-its-string-it-dances-all-over-the-ground; Cast Ifá for Òrúnmìlà, When Ifá was going to mend the life of the king of Ifè As one mends broken calabash. Who, then, will help us mend these our lives? Palm-tree grows its leaves right from the ground. It is Òrúnmìlà who will help us mend these our lives. Palm-tree grows its leaves right from the ground. - Holy Odu IworiMeji Palm-tree grows its leaves right from the ground. It starts off both fresh and mature at the same time. In other words, Ifa is fully equipped to provide adequate wisdom with which to govern the world. What we need are priests who are willing to serve the community by helping varying segments of the population to see themselves as integral parts of a single vision. Here, let us look to the teachings of the Holy Odu OturuponMeji for insights: A woman grinds bean-meal softly, A man grinds the corn hastily, The lumped corn-meal is food for the pigs; Vulture-with-a-probing-eyes, Women-benefit-from-breasts, Men-benefit-from-breasts, Cast Ifá for Elébùtéé, the earthly priest, For Odùkèkè, the heavenly priest, On their way to redeem Ifè. Elébùtéé’s divination thrived, so did Odùkèkè’s. We rubbed our hands together and they are clean We thus become two wise men of divine gifts. - Holy Odu OturuponMeji The above verse relates how, in the distant past, two Ifá priests of different orientations and outlooks came together and exchanged views in the bid to restore peace and development in Òtufè, an ancient town. In Òtufè, Elébùtéé and Odùkèkè were the most famous and well-versed Ifá priests. But the two priests were sworn enemies, too, because each felt that he was superior to the other. As the two were now entangled in a war of rivalry, Òtufè continued to grow in constant bickering and strife. Social life was stifled and the natives became victims of all sorts of ailments. Gradually and gradually, Òtufè became desolate and was almost on the brink of extinction as people were seeking refuge elsewhere. The situation became so unbearable that the king of the day had to summon the two priests to his court. In tears, he pleaded that the two priests should bury the hatchet and, instead, use their wisdom to improve the situation in Òtufè. Of course, the priests themselves had turned victims of their war: each had lost wives and children to the strife. They listened, humbled themselves before their king and swore to improve the situation in Òtufè. Thereafter, the two priests dialogued and learnt that the only way to redeem Òtufè was hidden in a lengthy Ifá verse. Elébùtéé had only committed the beginning of the verse into memory and could not complete it. On his apart, Odùkèkè had long forgotten the beginning of the verse, but could assist Elébùtéé in completing it. The two priests then came together and interpreted the hidden meaning of the verse. In the end, the two were able to redeem Òtufè from the brink of ruin.* In this lesson, we have a perfect analogy for the Yoruba condition within the African diaspora. Entire Yoruba kingdoms - like that of the Owu - have been uprooted, dismantled and dispersed across the globe. Today, as the cycle of rebirth unfolds, and the long lost ancestors of Yoruba civilization are reborn in Trinidad, the United States of America, Guyana and elsewhere, we are faced with the reality that every branch of the family tree is heavy laden with particular kinds of memory. This, while this certainly exacerbates the blessings and burdens of Yoruba diversity, it also indicates the importance of Pan Africanist thinking, planning and action within Orisa Lifestyle. Stated differently, in the exact same way that Odùkèkè and Elébùtéé could only save Òtufè through their COMBINED efforts, it is only through a Pan Africanist approach that we will restore the dignity, wealth and spiritual development of Yoruba people in West Africa and abroad. Aboru aboye abosise. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com *Omotade Adegbindin. Ifa & the Consequences of Literacy |
Live the MedicineObafemi Origunwa, MAThought leader, Ifa priest and author of four definitive books, Obafemi Origunwa inspires metamorphosis through living the medicine that will heal your life and heal the lives of the people you're destined to serve. Raise Awareness
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